Tim Joins PADI Pres
Dr. Drew, Theresa and Tim - Smiling and Sunburned at MDA's big night June 19.
The Guam MDA Treasure Hunt was a huge event attended by more than 300 people in Guam last Saturday.
The theme was treasure but the treasured reefs of the island and the region were the topics of discussion.
I presented a look at the major preserves on Fiji, Yap, Guam and Rota and talk of their various stages of progress and successes to date. Film from Beqa Adventure Divers in Fiji and modeling by Elaine Kwok highlighted the evening’s imaging. Guam’s Chris Bangs also showed amazing macro images and sperm whale photos taken around Guam.
Manta in Guam's Tumon Preserve
Dr. Drew Richardson, PADI President, talked of mobilizing PADI’s 17-million members worldwide for the betterment of the coral reefs and the seas. PADI’s Project AWARE has grown in size and scope annually since it’s inception and aims to make positive changes in the world’s seas. Richardson was assisted by Theresa Gulledge, the PADI Diving Society Manager.
This highly popular and successful MDA event featured great prizes, dinner and drinks and lots of fun for many enthusiastic Guam divers and families.
Tim
Fiji Shark Reef Book Praised
Shark Tours Are Under Threat AGAIN!
By TIM ROCK
I just heard from old friend Mark Strickland, one of diving’s finest tour leaders and underwater photographers. He happened upon a link to the new book I have done in conjunction with Beqa Adventure Divers and Lagoon Resort in Viti Levu’s Pacific Harbour and had this to say:
“Looks like you had some great shark action in Fiji. I really enjoyed paging through your Blurb preview… congrats on another beautiful book! I especially liked the zebra angel, giant grouper, and many of the shark shots… great stuff. And I see you found a hairy ghost pipefish…I still haven’t seen one, but it’s been high on my photo wish list for many years! ” –
Thanks Mark and Keep up the fine work you do and great tours!!
——-
NEW FIJI Coffee Table Book
By TIM ROCK
We showed you a condensed Fiji book about the Shark Reef Marine Reserve the other day. Here’s the big one. This 200 page, coffee table style hard cover book brings you the best of southern Fiji, Beqa Lagoon, Pacific Harbor, Shark Reef Marine Reserve and the people of Viti Levu.
Just click on the cover:
Shark Reef, Fiji, in your pocket
By TIM RIOCK:
Here’s a look at Shark Reef Marine Reserve in your pocket.
Just click the cover:
Cool New Book Previews
by TIM ROCK
Blurb is now offering online previews.
Check out some of the pages of my Palau book.
Just click on the book cover:
Free Shipping on all my Books
Worldwide Image Collection
Here’s the buzz.
As a reader of this blog, I am betting that you wouldn’t mind a little discount. So this month, I am providing a little incentive to help make my coffee table books cheaper for you to buy, As of now until March 22 – I offer Free Ground/Economy shipping on all orders placed by March 22.
Just enter the promo code below at checkout and your book will be in your hands in about a week. Be sure to use the appropriate currency, based on your location.
USD $ promo code: WESHIP
GBP £ promo code: WESHIP2
EUR € promo code: WESHIP3
* Offer valid through March 22, 2010 (11:59 p.m. PST). Offer covers Ground/Economy shipping costs for up to $7.99, £3.99, or €5.99 up to five books in one order, shipped to one address. This offer is good for one-time use and cannot be combined with other promotional codes or used for adjustments on previous orders.
Hawaii Shark Protection Moves Ahead
Shark Tours and Shark Protection
This from Stefanie in Hawaii. Progress is being made!!
Great news.
The shark finning bill has moved one step further. It survived the Senate vote and crossed over to the House. Hearing date for the first committee is Tuesday 3/9/2010.
This is great, because that means it is moving quickly, which is important, because it has to make it through 3 committees by March 19.
It also means there is hardly any time to send in testimony since it should be submitted 24 hrs before the hearing. That means Monday morning.
Testimony from previous hearings in the Senate are no longer attached to the bill, so we have to start over.
That means you can send in the same testimony you wrote before.
McKelvey said the more variety and different angles we cover the better, so feel free to write your own personal reasons why this bill is important. You do not have to stick with the global conservation issues only. If you live in Hawaii and have personal experiences, go ahead and state those. Maybe you want to save the ocean for your kids, or maybe you are a diver and want to prevent a loss of bio diversity. If you like fishing you can say that you want to protect sharks because they will keep the fish populations healthy.
You can also state moral reasons why finning should be stopped.
Also, if you keep it shorter, and make one or two points instead of covering all the reasons you can think of, it will be more likely that your statement will actually be read.
Send the statement to:
ebmtestimony@capitol.hawaii.gov
VERY IMPORTANT – INCLUDE THIS INFO AT THE BEGINNING OF LETTER
-(your name with position/title and organization)
TO: Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business & Military Affairs
Chairman Angus L.K. McKelvey
Hearing on Tuesday, March 9, 2010, 8am
MEASURE SB2169, SD2 IN SUPPORT
I know this is short notice, especially since it is the weekend, but if you can get it there before Monday 8am Hawaii time, it will be part of the hearing record. Even if it gets there later, I am sure they will try to include it, it just won’t be guaranteed.
Thank you for your time. Just remember that this bill is a HUGELY important step for shark conservation. It will be the strictest protection sharks have seen in any US State so far. It will also help pass legislation in other US States.
Stefanie
Shark Tours and Shark Protection
Many books now in the Blurb Store
Story and Photos copyright Tim Rock
We’ve been diving a lot and writing a bit as well. The result? We now have 14 books from all over the world in the Blurb bookstore. You can check them here:
Jumping Great White Shark
Please check them out. There are not only underwater images but culture, scenics, nature and people in every book. Check out Bimini!
Thanks for looking.
Best,
Timbo
New!! and Just Out!!
Bull Shark!
Story and Photos copyright TIM ROCK
As promised, here are some of my shots from Beqa Lagoon and the Shark Reef Marine Preserve.
Special thanks to the folks at Beqa Adventure Divers and Lagoon Resort for a great time:
Click HERE to see the IMAGES.
Best,
Timbo
Whitetip Reef Shark
This from the BAD Blog:
The good people over at the Shark Safe Network Blog have posted the following sample letter. If you want to assist Stefanie in Hawaii, please send it, or parts of it to the addresses mentioned in the previous blog posts.
Here’s the LINK.
Best,
Tim
